Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Don't let food poisoning ruin summer fun

Summer is a great time to enjoy a picnic. But, picnic food can cause illness if mishandled. All food should be prepared and stored properly to avoid food-borne illness. Then it must be packed safely for traveling.

Jananne Finck

More people become ill from food-borne bacteria during picnic season than any other time of the year. Some tips for packing a safe picnic basket are:

• Try to plan just the right amount of food to take. This avoids worrying about the storage and safety of leftovers.

• Clean preparation is a must. Wash hands and work areas and be sure all utensils are clean before preparing food.

• Keep perishable food — ham, potato salad, ground meat, hot dogs, deviled eggs, custard or cream pies — in a cooler. The cooler should be well-insulated and packed with ice, or you can use a freeze-pack/gel insert.

• Foods to be cooked ahead should be cooked in plenty of time to thoroughly chill them in the refrigerator. Use an insulated cooler with sufficient ice or ice packs to keep the food at 40 F. Pack food from the refrigerator right into the cooler.

• If planning on take-out foods such as fried chicken or barbecued meat, eat them within two hours of pick-up or buy ahead of time and chill before packing the food into the cooler.

• Don't put the cooler in the trunk; give it a cool ride in the passenger area, if possible.

• Use a separate cooler for drinks so the one containing perishable food won't be constantly opened and closed.

• Except when it's being served, the food should be stored in a cooler. When possible, place the cooler in the shade and keep the lid on.

• Remember the danger zone. Perishable foods should not be in the 40 to 140 F. range for more than two hours. When the temperature is 90 F. or above, perishable foods should not be in the danger zone for more than one hour.

• Place leftover foods in the cooler promptly after grilling or serving. Replenish ice, if needed, to maintain the cold temperature. But remember, if in doubt, throw it out.

• Bacteria can be present in most any food as well as on people's hands. Safe food handling is essential for safe picnics.

Grilling food safety tips

Food safety should be remembered when grilling outdoors, too. Eating food that has been mishandled may result in what's known as the "Summer Bug" - the flu-like symptoms caused by food-borne illness.

To prevent this, remember to practice the following recommendations from the United States Department of Agriculture:

• Clean your hands before working with food. Use plenty of soap and water.

• Keep bacteria on raw meat and poultry from spreading. Wash your hands again after working with raw meat or poultry and before handling other food.

• To be sure bacteria are destroyed, cook meats to the proper temperature. With poultry, the juices should run clear, not pink. Reheat precooked meats until steaming hot.

• Don't partially grill extra hamburgers. Once you begin cooking meats by any method, cook until completely done to assure bacteria is destroyed.

• When taking foods off the grill, put them on a clean plate. Don't put the cooked items on the same platter which held the raw meat, unless you thoroughly wash it between use.

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • JULY 2000